Manacle



j Patented Nov. 4,

UNIrs 'c STATES mrs T-FH'C-E STELLA FRANCES-G1141, OF` KANSAS CITY,

MISSOURI, AssIGNoR'ro NEWTON s. HILL- YARn-orsrr. JosErILivIIssoURI MANACLE Application filed December drawings,- wherein T-[Fig l is a perspective View rof apair of manacles in closed position, walls being partlyf'broken away` to illustrate the single lockfing" mechanism. v t f Y y IFig. 2is a similar vview of the manacles in p n open position.

Referring in detail to the drawings:

-"l-`he supporting element of the manacles -comprise mating Vplates including body porytions 1 and laterally extending integral arms including arcuate inner socket or seat portions 2 and' outer seat 'walls or 'lingers 4.

The plates are spaced by a recessed block 5 yhaving edges registering'with the upper, outer and loweredges of vthexbody lportions inthefposition ofthe manacles shown in the figures, and riveted to the plates to firmly securethem together. -The inner edge of the Vblock is spaced from the inner edge kof the body portions to form a channel forthe'free yarcuate finger or end 6 of alever 7. pivotally mounted on the outer ends of thearms by a pin 8, and freely revoluble between the arms.

The spacing block5 is provided with a recess 9 to accommodate' a latching pawl 10 pivotally mounted on 'a pin l1 fixed to the plates, and a spring 12' having one end anchored to the block at 13 and the other end engaged with the toothed end 14 of the pawl portions 3 spaced by in'tothe path of the lever linger 6.

- The block 5 includes a wall 415 formed by recessing the vblock and closing the upper edge ofthe manacles formed'bythespaced body l l portions ofthe plates, said wall having an end 5 for'urging the pawl outwardly of therecess 9*, Y1929.v serial No. 412,805.y

portion l provided with an yinclined face 16 adapted to receive the upper edge ofI the toothed end of the pawl to vstop the pawl in lever-latching position.;

The block further includes a linger-like in- -ner edge portion 17 having yan end spaced vfrom the wall l5 to form an opening through which the toothed end of the pawl projects to engage the lever.

The opposite end 18of the pawl is formed arcuately to comprise a cam-like finger lo-fv cated to receive the 'ward ofa keyinserted lthrough a` keyhole 19 in one ofthe plates whereby the pawl may be :movedl pivotally away from '-latchinglengagement with the lever.` E'

The keyhole is located in the `body portion oftheplate'uk presented toward the fettered prisoner,to prevent access to the keyhole by a'key in one of the prisoners hands. The lever finger 6 ispreferably provided with notches 2O having upwardly outwardly inclined faces 21, and the pawl hasvone or n more teeth 22 yadapted tol engage in the 'notches' of the Vlever to llatchthelever against movement in one direction. f

The upper end of the wall 17 in the figures i is spaced from the lwall lsufiiciently to permit the toothed endof the key-operated` pawl to move partlyp'astthe same. .The key-re,-

ceivingl portion of the pawl is adapted to*v engage the inner edgey of the wall 15 vwhevnthe pawl teeth havebeen moved out of the p'ath Vof the leverbut-before the ward ofthe key has moved past the pawl, ,-as clearly shown in Fig. 2, for limitingretractive movement 'i of the pawlj `The'pawlv may thus be held by` the keyk in retracted position to permit the lever to be revolvedvfreely ineither direction Aon its pivotal mounting, the structure avoiding'possible location of the ward in yftheinaccessible recess behind the key-receiving end ofthepawl. w. f

The lever further includes'a pair of arcuate clamping portions 28 fand' 241 having inner edge facesadapted to cooperate respectively with the seats 2 and3 to form openings correspondingsubstantiallyfto ythe contour of wrists or .the like whichthe device is adapted to fetter. A jweb or flange25 between the clamps 23 and 24 extends between the walls 4l of the support when the lever is in fettering position. Y

The edges of the web and inner faces of the clamps 23 and 24 merge to form with the inner-edge faces of the seats a pair of oval openings having longitudinal bisectors inclined inwardly downwardly toward a vertical central line on the device in fetteringv position in Fig. l, whereby the wrists of the prisoner will incline upwardly outwardly from each other, the backs'of the wrists being respectively adjacentthe body ofthe support and the outer ends of the arms.

The seats 2 and Sare substantially identilcal in dimensions and contour. In order to assure adjustment of the lever to wrists of various sizes, the clamping portion 23 has an inner edge face formed on a slightly longer radius than that of the portion 24. The portion 23 obviously moves over a greater distance than the portion 24 when the lever is revolved. The portion 23, due to its greater length, will therefore effectually clamp one large wrist when theother large wrist is clamped `by the other portion. When relatively small wrists are to be fettered, the portion 23 will form an opening substantially-equal tothe opening formed by the other portion when the latter has moved sufficiently toclamp one of the small wrists. I'n assembling a vdevice such as described above, a relatively small body is required to form a housing or lock case for the single latching pawl and single locking arm of the lever, and cost of material and labor of `Vconstruction are thus materially reduced, this being Van important feature since most manacles are assembled by hand after the lnecessary elements are stamped out of steel sheets by dies.

A considerablesaving in moving Vand fixed parts and labor of assembly is vthus effected over manacles in which latching means must be vprovided for two wrist-clamping levers.

Manacles constructed as described occupy relatively small space, and may be carried in closed and locked position without hazard of accidental opening. Y

' When the manacles are to be employed for fettering, the palms of the prisoner are brought together, and the device applied in one vswinging operation, the pressure of the Y lever portions against the wrists causing the clamping portions with the wrists.

lever to revolve and admit the wrists to the i' seats, incidentallydisplacing the pawl against the influence of the spring.

The lever is freely rotatable on the pivot pin between the arms of the support, and will swing in a complete circle to engage the The :ratchet teeth on the outside circleof the free curved outer end portion of the lever engage the pawl, to effect latching'of the lever, and lock both wrists coincidently to the support.

Since the back of one wrist is presented to the lock, the prisoner will be unable to twist his hands to reach the keyhole with a key or pick in the hand fetter by the clamping portion 23, and said hand will obstruct the other hand, the picking ofthe lock thus being effectually prevented.

The wall 17 which partly closes the inner edge of the case extends closely adjacent the path of the curved toothed end of the lever, and prevents insertion of a pick to the pawl for'tampering therewith.

When the manacles-are to be removed, the key is inserted in the recess of the body, and slight turning thereof displaces the pawl, to free the lever therefrom. The krigid lever may then be retractively rotated to free the wrists, one motion unlocking both clamps, and a second `motion moving both clamps from the wrists.

What I claim and desire to secure ters Patent is: Y

1. In a device of the character described, a

body comprising spaced plates having arcuate portions forming wristreceiving seats and a rigid lever pivotally mounted on the body'to swing between the plates and having clamping portions providedwith arcuate faces cooperating with said seats 'to formv wrist-receiving openings. g5

2. In a device of the character described, a support comprising spaced plates including a body forming a lock case and having an arm including arcuate portions forming. wrist-receiving seats, a rigid lever pivotally mounted on the outer end of the arm to swing between the plates and having clamping portions provided with arcuate faces cooperat- 85 by Let- -ing with saidseats to fetter wrists or the like'W coincidently, and means in the case for latching the lever against movement in one direction. l Y Y 3. In a device of the character described, a

'support comprising spaced plates including Y body portions forming a case and arms having arcuate .portions forming wrist-receiving seats, a rigid lever having anouter end pivotally mounted on the outer ends of the arms to swing between the arms and having clamp-- ing portions provided with arcuate faces cooperating with said seats to clamp wrists thereto, and means inthe case engageable with the free end of the lever for latching the lever in Y wrist clamping position againstf movement in unclamping direction.

4. In a device of the character described, -a support comprisingspaced plates and including a body andspaced arms formed to provide laterally spaced seats having arcuateedges, a lever havingarcuate clamping portions pivoted to the outer ends of the arms Aand revoluble between the arms, the clamping portions cooperating with the respective seats to fetter the wrists of the person to-'jf whom the device is applied, the free end of 130 the lever being movable adjacent the body and means in the body for locking rthe leverl f against movement in unclamping direction, Y

the clamping portion adjacent the free end of the lever being formed on a longer radius than the portion adjacent the pivotal mounting of the lever for adjusting the lever to wrists of various sizes.

In testimony whereof I aix iny si ature.

STELLA FRANCES (ILL.l 

